Patio door roller

ABSTRACT

An adjustable, inexpensive patio door roller in which the roller is rotatably mounted at a dependent end of a housing which is provided with a weakened section about which section the dependent end may be bent so as to adjust the relative position of the roller with respect to the housing. A stirrup and adjusting screw are provided to facilitate the adjustment. The roller may be screwed to a patio door or secured thereto by a combination of screws and retaining prongs which are inserted into correspondingly placed slots.

t tes 1 91 1111 3,827,104 Lamhertz Aug. 6, 1974 [54] PATIO DOOR ROLLER 3.526995 9/1970 Saunders 49/420 [75] Inventor: Martin R. Lambertz, New

Hamburg, Ontario, Canada Primary ExaminerPaul R. G1ll1am Assistant ExaminerDoris L. Troutman [73] Ass1gnee: gahn Bugs Ligmted, New Hamb Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Richard J. Hicks n arlo, ana a [22] Filed: Aug. 13, 1973 57 ABSTRACT PP 388,002 An adjustable, inexpensive patio door roller in which the roller is rotatably mounted at a dependent end of 52 1 us. c1. 16/18 16/105 a housing which is Pmhded with a weakened 511 int. c1 Bfitib 33/00 about which Section the dependent end may he hem [58] Field of Search 16/18 45 105 99 3 4 so as to adjust the relative position of the roller with 3 respect to the housing. A stirrup and adjusting screw are provided to facilitate the adjustment. The roller 56] References Cited may be screwed to a patio door or secured thereto by a combination of screws and retaining prongs which UNITED STATES PATENTS 16/99 are inserted into correspondingly placed slots. 3,040,391 6/!962 Saunders 3,175,255 3/1965 Saunders l6/91 7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATIO DOOR ROLLER This invention relates to roller hardware for sliding metal frame doors. In particular this invention relates to an adjustable height roller for use with metal framed sliding patio doors.

Relatively heavy glass and metal patio doors are being increasingly used in house construction and are frequently installed by relatively unskilled labor. Such doors are designed to slide, on rollers, in a channel in an extruded metal track which is secured to the top and bottom of the door frame. While the door with its integral rollers, and track are prefabricated in a factory, provision must be made for final adjustments to take care of horizontal and vertical variations to ensure smooth operation of the door. It is therefore necessary to provide a height adjustment on the rollers which are incorporated in the bottom rail of the door, and such adjustment must be as simple as possible.

Many such adjustable door rollers have been proposed in the prior art and most are satisfactory for their intended purpose. All are, however, relatively expensive to produce and require a considerable number of individual parts. Assembly is therefore relatively complicated and slow. It must also be borne in mind that once the door has been installed and properly adjusted only extremely rare and minor further adjustments are necessary.

The prior art structures are generally designed for many repetitions of the adjustment operation and may consequently be said to be over-designed for the purpose in hand.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an adjustable patio door roller which comprises a minimum number of stamped metal parts which can be inexpensively assembled.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a patio door roller with an extremely simple adjustment device capable of major initial adjustment and subsequently capable of minor adjustments.

Thus, there is provided, in accordance with one aspect of the invention, an adjustable patio door roller device comprising: a housing comprising a first top surface having a first pair of substantially parallel opposed side walls depending therefrom, an end wall, and a second top surface integral with and connected by a weakened section to said first top surface and having a second pair of substantially parallel opposed side walls depending therefrom, said pairs of side walls being so spaced as to permit said second pair of side walls to pass between said first pair of side walls; a roller; a stirrup having a pair of parallel dependent legs adapted to slidably fit between said first pair of side walls; a pin rotatably mounting said roller between said second pair of side walls, and pivotally mounting the legs of said stirrup outside said second pair of side walls; and an adjusting screw secured between said end wall and said stirrup such that rotation of said screw causes said top surfaces to bend at said weakened section thereby raising or lowering said roller relative to said first top surface.

By another aspect there is provided a preferred embodiment in which the roller includes a ball bearing which is rotatably mounted on the pin.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a sheet metal blank from which the housing for the roller device is fabricated;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of an assembled roller device;

, FIG. 3 is an end view of the device of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view of the underside of the device of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a side view, similar to FIG. 2, showing the vertical adjustment of the roller; and

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of an alternative embodiment of an assembled roller device, incorporating a retaining prong.

As shown in FIGS. 15, a shaped blank 1 is stamped from any suitable sheet metal stock, preferably steel. The blank is provided with two slots 2 and 3, pivot pin holes 4 and 5, securing holes 6, 7 and 8, adjustment screw hole 9, lugs 10 and 11, and recesses 12 and 13 in extended end wall portion 14. The portions 15 and 16 are pressed downwardly along fold lines 17 and 18 respectively to form a substantially parallel pair of first side walls. End wall 14 is similarly bent downwardly about fold line 19 to form a closed end to the housing. Lugs 10 and 11 enter recesses 12 and 13 respectively to lock the end wall into position relative the first side walls.

The portions 20 and 21 are bent downwardly along fold lines 22 and 23 respectively to form a substantially parallel second pair of side walls. It will be noted that fold lines 22 and 23 are more closely spaced than fold lines 17 and 18 so that the side walls 20 and 21 can be drawn between side walls 15 and 16 as will be explained more fully hereinbelow. It will also be noted that, preferably but not essentially, slots 2 and 3 extend slightly beyond fold lines 22 and 23 into the body of the blank, thereby creating a plane of weakness 24 between the top surfaces 25 and 26.

A U-shaped stirrup 27 is inserted between side walls 15 and 16 with the legs thereof outside side walls 20 and 21. A roller 28, preferably a metal, or rigid thermoplastic material such as nylon, roller and even more preferably mounted on a ball bearing 34, is placed between side walls 20 and 21. A pin 29 is then inserted through holes in the legs of the stirrup 27, holes 4 and 5 in the side walls and the centre of the roller 28 so as to adjustably mount the roller in the housing.

An adjusting screw 30 is inserted through hole 9 in end wall 14 and screwed into a suitably threaded hole 31 in the base of the U-shaped stirrup 27.

A pair of the roller devices are inserted completely within the metal frame of the door and secured at each end of the bottom of the frame by any suitable means. Preferably they are screwed into place using the screw holes 6, 7 and 8 provided but they may be welded, brazed or riveted in place if desired.

In the alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 6, a U- shaped retaining prong 32 is provided in place of screw holes 6 and 7. It will, however, be appreciated that one or more prongs can be placed on surface 25, in longitudinal or transverse relationship. For convenience, Iongitudinally spaced prongs 32 and 33 are shown in FIG. 6. Prong 33 may be spaced transversely from prong 32 and may be stamped inside walls 15 and 16 and bent upwardly into the plane of surface 25, as indicated in phantom line in FIG. 6. Prong 32 is adapted for insertion into and locking engagement in a correspondingly located slot (not shown) in the frame of the door. The prong 32 provides a quick and simple means for securing the roller in the door frame, eliminates the requirement for screws and provides excellent stability for the roller. Prong 32 is usually formed integrally from the surface by stamping but it may be formed separately and secured to an appropriate surface by any known means.

The door is then installed onto the track and final adjustment to ensure free sliding of the door effected. This adjustment or levelling is effected by turning screw 30 which has the effect of drawing the stirrup 27 and hence pivot pin 29 towards the end wall. In order that this movement may occur the top surface 26 must move downwardly relative to top surface 25, by bending along the plane of weakness 24. The downward movement of the top surface 26 is clearly shown in FIG. 5 and the vertical displacement A of the roller 28 is indicated.

lf subsequent minor adjustments in either direction are necessary, these may be effected by loosening or further tightening the screw 30. The weight of the door is sufficient to bend surface 26 upwardly.

A particular feature of the present device is the rigidity thereof. Advantage make be taken of this feature to reinforce or stabilize the relatively weak corner structure of the door.

It will also be noted that because the stirrup 27 is contained within side walls and 16 the adjustment is self aligning. Other advantages and features will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. An adjustable roller device for use in metal patio doors comprising:

a housing comprising a first top surface having a first pair of substantially parallel opposed side walls depending therefrom, an end wall, and a second top surface integral with and connected by a weakened section to said first top surface and having a second pair of substantially parallel opposed side walls depending therefrom, said pairs of side walls being so spaced as to permit said second pair of side walls to pass between said first pair of side walls;

a roller;

a stirrup having a pair of parallel dependent legs adapted to slidably fit between said first pair of side walls;

a pin rotatably mounting said roller between said second pair of side walls, and pivotally mounting the legs of said stirrup outside said second pair of side walls; and

an adjusting screw secured between said end wall and said stirrup such that rotation of said screw causes bending at said weakened section thereby raising or lowering said roller relative to said first top surface. 1

2. A patio door roller as claimed in claim I wherein said roller includes a bearing assembly rotatably mounted on said pin.

3. A patio door roller as claimed in claim 2 wherein said bearing assembly comprises a ball bearing assembly.

4. A patio door roller as claimed in claim 1, wherein said roller is a metal roller.

5. A patio door roller as claimed in claim 1, wherein said roller is a thermoplastic roller.

6. A patio door roller as claimed in claim 1, including at least one retaining prong extending from one of said first top surface and said first pair of side walls.

7. A patio door roller as claimed in claim 6, wherein said prong is formed integrally with said first top surface or said first pair of side walls. 

1. An adjustable roller device for use in metal patio doors comprising: a housing comprising a first top surface having a first pair of substantially parallel opposed side walls depending therefrom, an end wall, and a second top surface integral with and connected by a weakened section to said first top surface and having a second pair of substantially parallel opposed side walls depending therefrom, said pairs of side walls being so spaced as to permit said second pair of side walls to pass between said first pair of side walls; a roller; a stirrup having a pair of parallel dependent legs adapted to slidably fit between said first pair of side walls; a pin rotatably mounting said roller between said second pair of side walls, and pivotally mounting the legs of said stirrup outside said second pair of side walls; and an adjusting screw secured between said end wall and said stirrup such that rotation of said screw causes bending at said weakened section thereby raising or lowering said roller relative to said first top surface.
 2. A patio door roller as claimed in claim 1 wherein said roller includes a bearing assembly rotatably mounted on said pin.
 3. A patio door roller as claimed in claim 2 wherein said bearing assembly comprises a ball bearing assembly.
 4. A patio door roller as claimed in claim 1, wherein said roller is a metal roller.
 5. A patio door roller as claimed in claim 1, wherein said roller is a thermoplastic roller.
 6. A patio door roller as claimed in claim 1, including at least one retaining prong extending from one of said first top surface and said first pair of side walls.
 7. A patio door roller as claimed in claim 6, wherein said prong is formed integrally with said first top surface or said first pair of side walls. 